THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM, BOSTON COLLEGE
Volume XV, Issue 3
Spring 2011
Sophomore Scholars experience Italian culture
to a massive
crowd gathered in St. Peter’s square.
The
group
got a more in
depth look at
the Vatican a
few days later
when
they
saw the bones
of St. Peter on
the Scavi tour,
taking them
underground
beneath the
Basilica. They
also saw the
rest of the
Basilica and
went to the
Vatican museum, home
of the Sistine
Chapel.
Students received a look
at the classical
side of Rome
Sophomore Scholars post with Fr. Keenan and Jennie Thomas on the first evening of their trip
with
a
trip
to the Roin front of the Bernini Fountain in the Piazza Navona, Rome, Italy.
man forum. Though
the senate building
was closed for renovaBy Joseph Baron, A&S ‘13
rector Jennie Thomas. Father Keenan
tion,
the
group
did
see the home of the
showed his passion for the city throughout
During spring break sophomore the trip, sharing insight about what is has Vestal Virgins, the arch of Constantine,
Presidential Scholars ventured to Rome, to offer. While most of the trip was spent and they climbed the Palatine Hill. After
Italy. The trip was led by program Direc- in Rome, Scholars also traveled North the forum, Father Keenan led the group
tor Father Jim Keenan, who lived in Rome for a day to explore the city of Florence. to the Coliseum. The church of San CleIn a place as culturally rich as mente particularly emphasized the hisfor a number of years, and Assistant Di- Rome, it is impossible to see everything tory of Rome—a pagan temple was built
in one week; however, the Scholars re- under a church that was built under anceived a good cross section of the city other church. San Clemente contained
Social Justice Project....p.3-5 during their time there. On the first day, three layers, all that Scholars were able
group both saw and were blessed by to view, from different periods of Rome’s
PSP Awards..................p.6-8 the
the Pope himself as he gave the Angelus
see Italy page 2
Inside...
Class of 2011 present theses to fellow Scholars
complete them. The
seniors who shared
their stories were
Chris
Griesediek
(History/French),
Hope
Sullivan
(International
Studies/Hispanic
Studies), Courtney
McKee (Biology),
Kari
O’Neil
(Finance), and Scott
Molony (Philosophy/
Theology).
The
presentations served
two purposes: expand
our
knowledge
with
regard
to
the work that our
peers are engaged
in
and
provide
underclassmen with
advice about how
to approach the
sometimes daunting
task of writing a thesis
Photo: Jennie Thomas
(especially important
since Fr. Keenan
Senior Scholars pose for a picture after presenting their
closed the night by
in-depth theses topics to fellow Scholars.
assuring
everyone
that, while some
By Joseph Manning A&S ‘14
parts of the Program
were changing, the thesis was here to stay).
As part of the Presidential
As one could assume from
Scholars Program, senior Scholars are
the
diverse
majors of the presenters,
required to complete a thesis. On April
th
there
was
a
range of topics discussed
5 the Presidential Scholars Program
and advice given, with each presenter
gathered to hear five seniors present
offering a unique perspective on the
about their respective thesis topics
topic. Chris Griesedieck’s thesis was
and the process they went through to
about the history of public defenders in
Boston from 1963-1983, and he advised
his audience to make sure that they
know and understand their department’s
requirements for a thesis extremely
well. Hope Sullivan’s thesis was titled
“The Narrative of Minority Nationalism
in Catalonia & Galicia,” and she urged
underclassmen to find a good adviser
and the importance of cultivating this
relationship. Courtney McKee wrote her
thesis on the Human Papaloma Virus,
and she suggested not overloading while
writing a thesis. Kari O’Neil wrote her
thesis on post-graduate philanthropy and
encouraged juniors to prepare for the
unexpected and not to get flustered by
minor setbacks. Finally, Scott Molony
discussed divinity and intellectual
property rights. He emphasized the need
to find a topic that “set your heart on fire”
and would be easy for you to write about.
Despite the diversity of recommendations
from the senior Scholars, all of the
presentations shared a common theme:
start early and manage your time well.
This was a message that
resonated with the audience.
John
Wang, A&S ’14, noted that, “The Senior
thesis process appeared extremely
daunting at first glance. However, after
witnessing the various presentations
from the upperclassman, my initial
anxiety dissipated. Sure there’s plenty
of time, effort, and planning devoted
to the task, but with shrewd time
management, as well as diligence,
the thesis is absolutely attainable.”
a different Italian city, Florence. While
there, Scholars visited the Duomo including the famous baptistery doors.
They also went to San Marco, which
houses famous frescoes by Fra Angelico.
The epitome of the day-visit came in the
Galeria Accademia where the group saw
Michelangelo’s great sculpture, David.
Over the course of the week,
Father Keenan treated the Scholars to a
number of delicious meals. On the first
evening, the group ate at the Trattoria
da Luigi, which had particularly good
saltimbocca. The second evening saw
the group at Father Keenan’s favorite
restaurant, the Abruzzi, which is famous
for its carbonara. Wednesday night was
spent in Orvieto on the way back from
Florence where Scholars dined at Tipica Trattoria Etrusca. On Thursday
evening, Father Keenan was joined by
Don and Keith, two of his friends from
his days in Rome at Il Barroccio Erfaciolaro, well known for its scrumptious
pizza. The last night found the Scholars
in the critically acclaimed Hostaria Giggetto al Portico D’Ottavia, which is famous for its fried artichokes. Of all the
sights seen, the memories made around
the dinner table will last the longest.
Italy cont. from p. 1
history spanning nearly 2,000 years.
Other Roman sights included
various parts of Jesuit Rome. The group
went to the Gesù, San Ignatius Church,
and even the rooms of Saint Ignatius. Father Keenan brought the group back to his
former residence at the Bellarmino where
he took the Scholars to the terrace overlooking the city. The group also spent an
afternoon at the Galeria Borghese, where
they saw stunning paintings and statues
by Caravaggio, Bernini, and Borromini.
On Wednesday, the group saw
2
Social Justice Project
A panel on gang violence inspires students
By Nick Moffa, A&S ‘14
“Who are your heroes?” The
question rang out from the rear of the
Murray Function Room of the Yawkey
Center at the Panel on Gang Violence, the
second installment in the Social Justice
project “Revisiting Boston: Its Culture,
Diversity, and Youth,” brainchild of
the sophomore class of the Presidential
Scholars Program here at Boston College.
The first response came from Ms. Donna
Gavin: “My hero is my friend Sherry. She
was in the life [of prostitution] for twenty
years; she had three young kids, she was
addicted to drugs, and she was forced to
run away because her pimp was going to
kill her. Now, she has graduated from
college and runs a non-governmental
organization (NGO) called Kim’s
Project, which assists women involved
in or at risk for engaging in prostitution.”
Ms. Gavin, an employee in Federal
Law Enforcement,
specializes
in
human and sex
trafficking. She
spoke
about
her experiences
and encounters
with pimps on
the street, and
illustrated
the
appeal
young
girls hold for
pimps: they are
a very lucrative
business, and they
are a reusable
product.
She
went on to shock
the audience by
boldly claiming
that girls under
the
age
of
eighteen should
be charged with
prostitution,
albeit on a caseby-case
basis.
“You aren’t doing
them a favor [by
keeping them out
of jail],” she continued. “These girls will
run away and oftentimes revert to their
old habits and behaviors if they aren’t
placed in jail. In these cases, locking
these girls up actually saves their lives.”
Then Brian Bald and his partner,
Dennis, spoke about their heroes. Brian
explained how his heroes were those
who suffer through witness intimidation
to see a case through to its very end.
“These witnesses experience intense
intimidation from all sides from the
moment the case starts for the rest of their
lives,” he replied. Dennis responded
with his ideal of bravery: those kids
who will not join a gang, no matter what
the situation. That was the life Dennis
lived as a child, and his strong mother
helped him through his childhood to
avoid the temptation of joining a gang.
Dennis further explained the
difficulty these kids go through and the sad
situation they find themselves in: “There
are no programs for the kid who doesn’t
join a gang; there’s no incentive. He has
nowhere to turn, and no safe haven where
he can hear words of encouragement
from those who support his decision.”
Brian and Dennis are part of the gang
unit of a strike force that operates all
around and even outside Boston. Their
unit’s first priority is to identify gang
members, specifically the young kids
who can still be taken out of the gang.
They explained how their main goal is
to help kids; for instance, kids go to jail
immediately if they are caught carrying
firearms. As a result, Brian and Dennis
will try to catch kids on other charges to
help them avoid jail time. They ended
with an emphasis on the importance of
motivation: without motivation, no one
will change. If they don’t want to change,
they will not, no matter the program.
“My hero is Andy Crane,” spoke
the fourth panelist, Louis Sanchez, a
see Gang Violence page 4
Photo: John Wang
As part of the Social Justice Project “Revisiting Boston: Its Culture, Diversity,
and Youth,” four panelists spoke to Boston College students about gang
violence in Boston.
3
Social Justice Project
Scavenger hunt encourages Boston exploration
By Sarah Ganton, A&S ‘14
As night fell on Boston College’s
Upper Campus on March 23rd, students
flowed into O’Connell House and sat in
two semicircles of folding chairs around
Professor David Manzo of the PULSE
program. They rifled through the packets
Professor Manzo had distributed – a fourpage scavenger hunt taking place all over
Boston. It was the first meeting of two
in Boston: The Amazing Race, the third
event in the sophomore class’ Revisiting
Boston Social Justice program series.
To begin the scavenger hunt,
Professor Manzo led the group in a
discussion of Boston, its demographics,
and its history. He spoke about the
diverse neighborhoods of Boston, from
Beacon Hill to Roxbury and beyond. He
engaged the group in activities designed
to test prior conceptions of the city and
taught them to look for Jane Jacobs’ four
generators of diversity in cities – mixed
uses, short blocks, building of various
ages, and density of population, or “eyes
on the street.” He then sent the students on
their way, giving them one week to explore
Boston and complete as many items on
his scavenger hunt list as they could.
The scavenger hunt list took
students all over Boston, starting at
the Boston Public Library and ending
in Roxbury. Along the way, students
searched for statues (including a memorial
to the discovery of ether) in Boston
Common and the Boston Public Gardens,
historical sites, the smallest neighborhood
in Boston, an excellent slice of pizza,
and even Senator John Kerry’s house in
Beacon Hill. The list was extensive, but
it also encouraged individual exploration,
allowing students to discover things not
necessarily detailed in the original list,
such as the Liberty Hotel, housed in
what was once the Suffolk County Jail.
The students met with Professor
Manzo again on March 30th to tally the
results and discuss their experiences.
The first, second, and third place teams
were awarded gift certificates to the
Haley House Bakery Café. Professor
Manzo then led a discussion of the
discoveries made during the scavenger
hunt. The scavengers agreed that Boston
is a very “walkable” city, with extensive
public transportation, wide sidewalks,
and plenty of people out and about.
Through a scavenger hunt in
Boston and discussion with Professor
in when I had no one
else, and over the course
of time he’s taken in
a total of five ex-gang
members. We all live
together in his twobedroom
apartment,
and we are like a
family. Andy gave me
my founding principles
and introduced me to
Tenacity and Match, the
two programs that saved
my life.” Louis spoke
Photo: John Wang
about his childhood as
well: his mother had
The audience listens as the four panmultiple
sclerosis,
and he was raised
elists reflect on their experiences in
mainly
by
his
stepdad.
He told the stories
relation to gang violence.
of how each of his siblings ran away
Gang Violence cont. from p. 3
from home, he at the age of thirteen.
junior here at BC and a broadcasting and He explained how he went to the South
communications major. “Andy took me End and joined the Villa Park gangsters,
how two of his best friends were brutally
4
Photo: Jennie Thomas
Professor Manzo leads the group
in a dicussion of Boston, its demographics, and its history.
Manzo, students learned about Boston
and its diversity, but they also learned
a new way to look at cities themselves.
They came away from the hunt with
greater knowledge of urban planning
and a greater love of the city they call
“home” for nine months each year.
murdered, and how he eventually got out
with the help of Tenacity and Andy Crane.
Finally, he ended with an explanation
of the stigma he continues to feel in his
daily life here at BC, and about how
the police will follow him and search
him just because of his appearance.
Overall, the Panel on Gang
Violence was a fantastic second
installment in the “Revisiting Boston”
series. Educational and engaging, it gave
each person in the audience many things
to ponder and consider. Each speaker
lent something unique to the panel, and
each of their respective backgrounds and
perspectives led to fascinating answers
to the myriad of questions asked. Each
story was stirring and inspiring in its
own way, and the awareness raised by
this event will hopefully inspire those in
the audience to become someone’s hero.
Social Justice Project
“And Still We Rise” performs for BC students
movement, and even song, the actors
were able to deeply
The
words
touch each audience
of the “And Still We
member with their
Rise” performers rang
tales
of
abuse,
out in the Vanderslice
addiction,
betrayal,
Cabaret Room on April
and the development
13th, at the final event
of a will to overcome.
of the sophomore
After
the
Presidential Scholars’
performance,
the
Social Justice program.
actors opened the room
That evening, the
up for questions. This
sophomores,
in
was not only a chance
collaboration
with
for the audience to
the Pulse Program,
further
understand
allowed for Boston
the narratives that
College
students
had been shared, but
to experience the
also to show their
struggles
of
the
deep appreciation of
formerly incarcerated
the actor’s courage
and those directly
to
perform
such
affected
by
the
emotionally-straining
incarceration
of
Photo: Kayte Giorgio
stories.
Many
their loved ones.
audience
members
“And Still We Sophomores Rachel Newmiller and Kevin Morris pose for a picture with
were even able to
Rise” is a theatre group, Artistic Director of “And Still We Rise,” Dev Luthra.
connect or relate to
led by Artistic Director
the stories personally,
Dev Luthra, which
a powerful indicator
promotes a healing
of the relevance
atmosphere for its
of messages that
performers
and
“And
Still
We
raises awareness in
Rise”
emphasizes.
regards to questions
“A saint is just
of criminal justice
a sinner who fell down
and social change.
and got up.” As one
The performances
performer so aptly
of the group are not
sang, these words
only meant to offer
reiterate the message
a new perspective
the group promotes
to those unfamiliar
so well. “And Still
with incarceration,
We Rise” is a group
but also to help
which promotes the
the
performers
ideas of forgiveness
t h e m s e l v e s
and rebirth through
establish a new
their own experiences
self-confidence and
and their willingness
regain their voice.
to
share
those
T
h
e
experiences
with
Photo: Kayte Giorgio
show itself was
others.
Overall,
a combination of
the
sophomore
stories, with each A group of Scholars smile for a picture before watching the “And Still We Social
Justice
performer
relating Rise” performance.
program
concluded
to
the
audience
with a performance
his or her own
that inspired all to further question,
personal narrative. Through a mixture
understand and seek out positive
of monologues, skits, interpretive
social change in our communities.
By Maggie Scollan, A&S ‘14
5
University Honors
PSP Awards
Order of the Cross & Crown
The Order of the Cross and Crown is the Arts &
Sciences honor society for seniors who, while
achieving an average of at least A-, have established
records of unusual service and leadership on the
campus.
Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa is the most prestigious academic
honors society in the United States. Annually it
elects to membership the most outstanding seniors
(and a handful of truly exceptional juniors), based on
superior scholarship and good character.
Leon Ratz (Marshal)
Lake Coreth
Shane Ulbrich
Lindsey Hennawi
Colleen Maher
Class of 2011
Lake Coreth
Kathryn Fox
Kathryn Goettl
Anne Kornahrens
Christopher Griesedieck
Colleen Maher
Courtney McKee
Leon Ratz
Andrew Rivera
Hope Sullivan
Shane Ulbrich
Deans’ Scholars
Each year a select group of the brightest young
scholars in the A&S junior class are honored by the
Dean of A&S as Deans’ Scholars. They are selected
on the basis of their overall academic performance,
the recommendations from their departmental faculty,
their co-curricular initiatives, and the sense of
purpose with which they approach their future.
Class of 2012
Aditya Ashok
Samuel Hocking
Kyle Marra
Jessica Seminelli
Christopher Sheridan
Brian Tracz
Zachary Zimmermann
Jessica Seminelli
Christopher Sheridan
Brian Tracz
Zachary Zimmermann
Alpha Sigma Nu
Alpha Sigma Nu is a national Jesuit honor society.
It was started at Marquette University in 1915 and
today has chapters in the 28 US Jesuit colleges
and universities, Weston, and Berkeley Schools
of Theology and Sogang University in Korea.
Admission is based on scholarship, loyalty, and
service.
Sophomore Scholars
Each year the most academically distinguished
members of the sophomore class are honored as
Sophomore Scholars. The young scholars below have
achieved an academic ranking that places them in the
top three percent of their class of more than1,500 and
have also received the recognition and nomination of
their major departments.
Class of 2011
Kathryn Fox
Anne Kornahrens
Colleen Maher
Kari O’Neil
Jose Perez
Brian Varian
Helen Jiang
Brendan Kelly
Rachel Newmiller
Colleen Sinnott
Class of 2012
Aditya Ashok
Elizabeth Fair
Alexander Goldowsky
Christopher Sheridan
6
PSP Awards
Advanced Study Grant Winners
The Boston College Advanced Study Grants were
established to encourage, support, and give visible
recognition to first and second year students who
have that special spark of scholarly initiative and
imagination. Grants are for student-designed projects
and are awarded for summer “skill acquisition”
projects that promise to accelerate the applicant’s
progress in the major field of study. A list of this
year’s PSP winners and their projects are below.
Alison Wawrzynek, A&S ‘14
Globalism and Cultural Identity: To support research
on the effects of English proliferation on multi-lingual
Morocco.
Brian Tracz, A&S ‘12
Neuroscience beyond the Neuron, Consciousness
beyond the Brain: To support research on the
intersection of philosophy and neuroscience.
(An ACC-IAC ASG Thesis Research Grant)
Matthew Alonsozana, A&S ‘14
Philippine Public Policy and Poverty Reduction: To
support research on the social context of economic
and health policy in metropolitan Manila.
Non-University Awards, Honor,
Fellowships or Scholarships
Fulbright Grants
Lake Coreth ‘11, Argentina
Shannon Cook, A&S ‘13
Hidden Argentinian History: To support the study of
Argentina’s cultural history through its cuisine.
Kelly McCartney ‘11, Vietnam
Brooke Loughrin, A&S ‘14
Women, Islam, and Politics: To support intensive
study of Turkish in Istanbul and research on the
politics of gender in Turkey and Iran.
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence
in Education Program
Joseph Manning, A&S ‘14
Canadien Approaches to Renewable Energy: To
support research on renewable energy programs in
Nova Scotia.
Harry S. Truman Scholarship
Aditya Ashok ‘12
Christopher Sheridan ’12
Skaggs-Oxford Scholarship
Anne Kornahrens ‘11
Rachel Newmiller, A&S ‘13
Innocent until Proven Guilty: To support an
internship and research into criminal defense
investigation for indigent clients.
(A Horace Seldon Advanced Study Grant)
Commencement Awards
School of Arts and Sciences
Scholar of the College
The Scholar of the College award is a designation awarded at
Commencement to exceptional students who have excelled
academically in their undergraduate studies and who have
done substantial, independent work of the highest quality for
a significant part of their senior year under the supervision of
faculty scholars.
Sasha Savinkina, A&S ‘13
Paleo-Anthropological Exploration: To support field
research of Bronze Age sites in western Siberia.
Maggie Scollan, A&S ‘14
The Bones of Black Friary: To support archaeological
skill acquisition and research in osteology of
medieval Ireland.
Anne Kornahrens
Courtney McKee
Scott Molony
Colleen Sinnott, A&S ‘13
Health Clinics in Quito: To support research on
public health policy and delivery in Ecuador.
John Bapst, S.J., Philosophy Medal
A gold medal, in honor of John Bapst, S.J., given to the
student whose overall performance in philosophy courses has
been outstanding
Kelsey Swift, A&S ‘13
The Refugee Experience of Displaced Iraqis: To
support intensive language study and research on
refugee services in Jordan.
Shane Ulbrich
7
PSP Awards
Edward H. Finnegan, S.J., Award
An award in memory of Rev. Edward H. Finnegan, S.J., given
to the student who has best exemplified in their four years
at Boston College the spirit of the College motto, “Ever to
Excel.”
Matthew Copithorne Scholarship
An award given to a graduate, exhibiting qualities of
character, industry, and intelligence, and who plans to do
graduate study at Harvard or M.I.T.
Colleen Maher
Leon Ratz
Andrew Rivera
Leon Ratz
Tully Theology Award
An award given in memory of the late Dennis H. Tully, given
to the student who has written the best paper on a theological
subject.
Scott Molony
Dr. Joseph Stanton Memorial Award
A cash award, the gift of Doctors Richard Stanton ’38 and
Joseph R. Stanton ’42 in memory of their father, Dr. Joseph
Stanton, M.D. The award is given to the student who has been
accepted to a medical school and who has been outstanding
in character, loyalty, leadership, and scholarship at Boston
College.
Andrew Rivera
Normand Cartier Award
The Normand Cartier Award is given to a senior who is
a member of the Lambda Psi Chapter of the Pi Delta Phi
National French Honor Society and has demonstrated
leadership in promoting French and francophone literature and
culture in the Boston College community.
Kathryn Goettl
Patrick J. Durcan Award
A gold medal, the gift of Mrs. J. Greer, in memory of her
brother, Rev. Patrick Durcan, given to the student whose
overall performance in history courses has been outstanding.
Christopher Griesedieck
Joseph R. Stanton, M.D. Award ‘42
This award is a gift from Stanton Medical Associates in
memory of Joseph Stanton, M.D. ’42. The award is intended
for a graduating senior who has been accepted by a medical
school and who has been outstanding in character, loyalty,
leadership, and scholarship at Boston College
John McCarthy, S.J. Award for Humanities
An award given to seniors in the College of Arts and Sciences
for the most distinguished Scholar of the College projects.
Courtney McKee
Courtney McKee
The General Excellence Medal
A gold medal, a gift of the Philomatheia Club, given to the
student who has achieved general excellence in all branches of
studies during their entire four years at Boston College
The Shannon Lowney Award
Given annually to the senior who has excelled in history and
has shown a concern for social justice issues, this award is
named in honor of the late Shannon Lowney, a 1991 history
major graduate.
Kathryn Goettl
Lake Coreth
Thomas I. Gasson, S.J. Award
An award in honor of Thomas I. Gasson, S.J., President of
Boston College (1907-1914), given to the graduating senior
with a distinguished academic record over a four-year period
The Rev. James D. Sullivan, S.J. Award
Awarded to a senior outstanding in character and
achievement.
Brian Varian
Colleen Maher
Dean’s Letters of Commendation
John F. Norton Award
An award in honor of John F. Norton ’22, Boston College
professor (1926-1965), given to the student who best
personifies the tradition of humanistic scholarship
Kari O’Neil
Shane Ulbrich
8
Congratulations, Class of 2011!
Photo: John Raiola
On April 28, senior Scholars, PSP Director Fr. Jim Keenan, and Assistant Director Jennie Thomas attended the
annual Wall Street Council Tribute Dinner in New York City. Joining the Scholars at the Waldorf Astoria were Fr.
Leahy, major donors, and this year’s honoree and his wife Eugene M. McQuade, Chief Executive Officer, Citibank
and Peggy McQuade.
Front row (left to right): Kari O’Neil, Kathryn Fox, Anne Kornahrens, Kelly McCartney, Kathryn Goettl, Courtney McKee, Lake Coreth, Hope Sullivan, Lindsey Hennawi, Colleen Maher.
Back Row (left to right): Jennie Thomas, Tue Tran, Brian Varian, Andrew Rivera, Christopher Griesedieck, Fr. Leahy, Eugene M. McQuade, Peggy McQuade, Shane Ulbrich, Jose Perez, Steven Liu, Scott Molony, Leon Ratz, Fr.
Keenan.
Photo: Jennie Thomas
Photo: Jennie Thomas
On the morning of April 29, the class of 2011 and Program administrators were given a boat tour of New York
City (shown above). They then enjoyed lunch as a group in
Manhattan (pictured at left.)
9
Boston College Presidential Scholars Program
122 College Road•Chestnut Hill, MA 02467